We believe in the indispensable value of good literature in the lives of children. Our mission is to foster the professional development of the creators of children’s literature, promote connections between children’s authors and other members of the literary community, and nurture an environment in which children’s literature can be appreciated by the widest possible audience.

Friday, July 22, 2011

The Funniest Thing About...

The funniest thing about writer’s block is that so much has been written about it. A quick Google search for the term yielded 10,700,000 articles. That’s a lot of words to describe a lack of words!

Although some of the articles simply describe the wretched condition, the overwhelming majority of them offer advice on how to overcome writer’s block. Like cures for hiccups, there are many remedies that are varied and creative. But, also like cures for hiccups, their effectiveness is debatable. Some suggest writing grocery lists to get the creative juices flowing, some suggest drawing pictures to tempt the muses, others recommend getting up and going for a hike to clear those mental cobwebs.

My personal favorite remedy is to just tackle the problem head on. Just sit and write, “I have writer’s block because…” and let it all out. Exorcise those demons of self doubt, mental fatigue, work or family pressures, etc. The very things that are causing you writer’s block may actually be a good source of material for the characters you create. Of course, if none of these strategies work for you, you can always go to Barnes and Noble and buy one of the 124 titles they have on the subject – or one of the 357 titles available on Amazon.

And if all else fails, take comfort in this bit of wisdom that American poet William Stafford offered his students: “There is no such thing as writer’s block for writers whose standards are low enough.”

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A Little Something About Us

Our backgrounds and interests vary greatly, but we all love writing for children.

Steven K. Smith

Steven K. Smith is the author of The Virginia Mysteries series, middle grade adventures with a twist of history. His booksinclude Summer of the Woods, Mystery on Church Hill, Ghosts of Belle Isle, and the standalone short story, Pitch Black Dark. Steven grew up in rural northwestern New Jersey, but has quickly come to love Richmond and its deep history since moving here in 2011. He lives with his wife and three youngsons and works in e-healthcare during his non-writing hours. You can learn more about Steven and his books at his website, VirginiaMysteries.com.

Stephanie McPherson

Stephanie wrote her first children's story in college. She enjoyed the process so much that she's never stopped writing. A former teacher and freelance newspaper writer, she has written nearly 30 books and numerous magazine stories. She especially enjoys writing about science and the human interest stories behind major discoveries. Her most recent book, all about the Titanic, came out in November 2011.

Brian Rock

Brian has been writing stories and poems since he was old enough to hold a #2 pencil. Although he was once kicked out of his fourth grade class for writing too many stories, he went on to earn a master’s degree in Children’s Writing from Hollins University. His short stories appeared regularly in the regional magazine, Kid’s World. His poems have appeared in Highlights and Poetry Train. He has three published picture books, Don't Play With Your Food!,Piggies,With All My Heart, with his third title, The Deductive Detective due out this month, March 2013. Click over to Brian's website to find out more.

Hazel Buys

Hazel grew up living the gypsy life, circling the globe as her family accompanied her father on his military assignments to Asia, Europe and the United States. During this time she absorbed the stories and fables from many different cultures. Her love of literature is rooted deeply in these early travels.

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Hazel began writing in her early teens. She writes middle grade and young adult novels as well as picture books, which she also illustrates. Hazel regularly publishes reviews of children’s books with Children’s Literature. Her picture book, Olaf's Door, was published by the multi-media publisher, zuuka, Inc. You can see Hazel's art work at her website.

Deb Dudley

After enjoying over 14 years as a successful marketing specialist in the hospitality industry, Deb Dudley decided to embark on a new career in the world of Kid-Lit. Armed with a passion forwriting, a love for literature and bundle of book ideas, she is eager to shape one of her polished manuscripts into the next best picture book for young children. For more about Deb's journey from storyboard ads to storybook smile-maker, visit her website.

Dan Elasky

Dan has been writing since he was seven. Back then, it was mostly adventure stories with dinosaurs. Some of it still is, but without the dinosaurs. Mainly, he specializes in picture books and teen novels. Dan is fortunate to have as his critique partners the members of Richmond Children’s Writers, a perceptive, illuminating, and supportive group. He looks forward to reading to children at schools, libraries, and hospitals with the help of his puppet, Irene. Dan is now writing a middle grade novel whose narrator speaks in a voice that, he says, “is unlike any other in English literature.”

Troy Howell

Troy Howell is the author of the American Booksellers Association's “New Voices” pick, The Dragon of Cripple Creek (Abrams, 2011), and is working on his second middle grade novel, Hans Andersen’s Ghost. He has also illustrated many notable children’s books and book jackets, among which is the Brian Jacques Redwall series.Learn more about Troy at his website.

Lana Krumwiede

In third grade, Lana wrote in her autobiography that she wanted to be a mother, a writer, and the church organist. While the church organist thing didn't turn out so well, the other two dreams made up for it! Her dystopian science fiction series for middle-grade readers, The Psi Chronicles (Candlewick Press) includes FREAKLING and ARCHON (coming Oct 2013). Lana's short stories and poems have appeared in Highlights,High Five, Spider, Babybug, The Friend, and Chicken Soup for the Child's Soul.Learn more about Lana and her books at her website.

Marianne McKee

Marianne enjoys the picture book format for both fiction and non-fiction. After studying with the Institute for Children's Writers, she has written stories about animals and is now beginning to use her background in history, archives and maps to write non-fiction. Work in film and wet darkroom photography, seven trips to the Scottish Hebrides and two semesters of geology have also expanded her horizons.Marianne can be reached at mariannemckee@aol.com.